1. The Flirtation (Barcelona)
My first visit to Spain consisted of a 10-day family vacation to Barcelona. Not that my semi-obnoxious middle school self didn’t love going to every museum, monument, and important historical building in Barcelona, but I did find the trip to be a slightly overwhelming. Yes, I loved the daunting surplus of ice cream flavors (including Strawberry Cheesecake and Honeydew), gorgeous beaches, and Gaudi architecture, but the Cataluña language confused me. The fact that my picky appetite then didn’t allow me to enjoy any real Spanish food (unless you count pizza) didn’t help either. After this trip ended, I knew that I loved Europe and the cultures it encompasses, but I didn’t think that I was ready to “get serious” with Spain.
2. The First Date (Seville)
At the start of September, I arrived in Seville at 5:30 am after a taxing 7-hour overnight bus ride. I was miserable, exhausted, cranky, and easily irritable. After getting zero sleep on the bus, and only about 3 hours at the hostel, it was time to get up and get ready for the day. I didn’t want to move and getting up was a serious struggle, but as soon as I stepped outside, my sour attitude changed. It was a beautiful day, and everyone around me was cheerful, as well as happy to give a lost American girl some helpful directions. Instead of proceeding with usual touristy activities (aka site-seeing) I walked around this small city of Seville for hours, admiring its beauty, architecture, history, riverside, and of course its food.
The greatest thing about Seville is not La Plaza de España (pictured below), the bull-fighting stadium, or Giralda Tower, but what makes this city so spectacular is the flamenco dancing on the streets at night, the assortment of tapas at every restaurant, and the laid-back attitude of the people. After spending a mere two days in Seville (a short first date, if you ask me), I eagerly awaited my trip to Madrid: my second date with Spain.
3. The Second Date (Madrid)
Luckily, my second date lasted a bit longer than my first and I was able to explore Palacio Real de Madrid, Parque Retiro, and Mercado de San Miguel. The Royal Palace of Madrid, in my opinion, is the most extravagant, amazing, breathtaking palace in all of Europe. You aren’t allowed to take pictures inside, but each room you enter is more elaborate than the next and the floors, walls, and ceilings are gorgeously decorated. This palace (see below), and the incredibleness of Parque Retiro, definitely helped ferment my love for Spain.
In Madrid, I continued to develop a love for tapas and Spanish culture. The relaxed disposition of the people, the mid-day siesta, and the daily need for ice cream all caught my eye. As a Lo-Yo and Ben and Jerry’s fanatic, I have been missing the sheer goodness of these treats, but thanks to Madrid, I was able to try 3 different frozen yogurt chains, as well as have some gelato as a mid-day snack. When I first arrived in Europe, I definitely wasn’t used to eating dinner at 10:00pm, arriving at a club at 2:00am, and going home at 6:00am, but after 3 days in Madrid I was certainly getting the hang of this lifestyle and loving it! After my trip to Madrid, I was ready to get serious with Spain, but there were still a few ambiguities and details to work out.
4. Sealing the Deal (Barcelona)
My second trip to “Barca” sealed the deal between me and Spain. It’s official, we’re exclusive. I would even go so far as to say that Spain is my favorite country in Europe, bar none. It is hard to not love the clubs on the beach and the sublime architecture of Segrada Familia and Parque Guell, the churros con chocolate will never cease to amaze me, and I feel like home when I am walking around this city. It’s impossible not to smile as the weather always seems to be 75°F and sunny so, it’s impossible not to eat every sweet in sight, and it’s impossible to not fall in love with the nightlife. The mentality of the Spanish is a rarity and the positive vibe in the air is surreal; the laid-back attitude and belief that “everything will be alright” is something that I believe everyone should attempt to emulate. In short, I have learnt a lot from my new love affair in the past 2 months, and hopefully I shall continue to do so in the future as well!